Rational: The two keys to reading
are comprehension and fluency. In order to read fluently, a child must
be able to read faster, smoother, and more expressively. Learning to decode
enables children to improve sight recognition. This progress in sight recognition
will then encourage fluency. Becoming a fluent reader makes reading much
more enjoyable for children, which in turn leads to comprehension. However,
in order for children to become fluent readers they must first learn to
recognize words and practice, practice, practice reading and rereading
decodable texts. Today, this lesson will work on recognizing words and
also help children practice reading with more expression, which will make
reading much more fun.

Materials: An index card for each
student, markers or crayons, chalk, a wide selection of children’s literature
(classroom reading corner), another index card for each child with a sight
word on it, the text "BANG"(big book), paper an pen for myself to note
miscues, and stickers for a job well done!

Procedures:1. I will introduce the lesson by explaining
to the class "that in order to be a skilled reader, we must first learn
to read fluently without stopping to figure out the word. But, before we
can read a book without stopping to figure out hard words we must recognize
sight words and also understand how to blend them." "Now let’s start learning
and practicing sight recognition and blending!"

2. I will then allow my students to
get up and go to the "sight word wall" where I will have index cards turned
backwards with easy sight words such as I, a, they, the, he, she, ect…each
child will take one off the wall, allowing them to be surprised with the
word they receive and make the learning lesson more exciting. Next, I will
read the big book "BANG": as I read the story aloud, I will tell the students
to hold up their card when they hear their secret word in the book, I will
say: "FOLLOW ALONG CLOSELY SO YOU DON’T MISS YOUR WORD IN THE STORY!" I
will assess the children while I read to make sure everyone is able to
recognize his/her sight word and hold it up at the correct time.

3. I will then turn my lesson over to the
use of expression in reading. I will tell the class I am going to read
the book BANG again and tell them to listen for a different sound. I will
read the book in a monotone voice, boring my class excessively. I will
then say: "IF I SOUNDED LIKE THIS EVERYDAY, WOULDN’T YOU GET BORED OF LISTENING
TO ME? WELL, WHEN WE TALK, WE USE EXPRESSION DEPENDING ON HOW WE FEEL.
SOMETIMES WE FEEL EXCITED, HAPPY, SAD, OR EVEN ANGRY. AUTHORS IN BOOKS
ALSO WANT THEIR CHARACTERS TO USE EXPRESSIONS LIKE THE BUNNIES IN "BANG".
I will then reread "BANG" using expression and slowly walk through the
different expressions I used with the class. I will then write the sentence
on the board: "Guess what happened today?" I will then call on each student
to read the sentence on the board in using different expressions. Then
allow each child to draw on their blank index card the expression they
used to say the sentence and explain to the class why they read it using
the expression they did.

4. Lastly, tell each student to choose their
favorite book from the reading corner and go back to their seats and read
it silently to themselves practicing using the sight words and expression
that we learned today! Tell them "I AM COMING AROUND TO EACH OF YOUR DESKS
IN 15 MIN TO LISTEN TO YOU READ YOUR FAVORITE BOOK TO ME WITH LOTS OF EXPRESSION~OKAY!"

ASSESSMENT:~ As they read tome, I will note their individual
problems with sight words (miscues) and analyze their use of expression!
I will also praise each child for their individual efforts and reward them
with a sticker and a high five!